See you in the Aisle!

Chapter 9

A seat unfilled beneath the sun,

Love's echoes linger, dreams undone.

In twilight's hush, a promise stirs,

Two souls align where fate occurs.

The sun was setting, casting a golden hue over my graduation ceremony. The pomp and circumstance of the event were exhilarating, but a noticeable absence made the day feel incomplete. Matteo, who had been my rock through the stressful final months of college, couldn't make it. He was caught up with an important business deal that he just couldn't reschedule.

I tried to put on a brave face, chatting with family and friends, but every now and then, my gaze drifted toward the empty seat I had saved for him. My phone buzzed with a message from Matteo, which I read in between the flurry of congratulatory texts.

Matteo: "I'm so sorry I couldn't be there. I wanted to see you walk across that stage. I'm sending you all my love and a little something special to celebrate. Can't wait to make it up to you."

I felt a pang of disappointment but understood the demands of his job. We had discussed it beforehand, and I insisted that he stay, reminding him that my day would be just as special with or without him. But that didn't make me miss him any less.

The following week, as I caught up with my friends, I had a plan brewing in my mind. I wanted to make sure Matteo knew how much his presence meant to me, even if he missed my graduation. I decided to invite him to our upcoming beach outing, hoping it would be a fun way to celebrate and make up for the missed event.

The sun was already high in the sky as Matteo and I arrived at the beach resort. The sand was warm beneath my feet, and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore provided a calming backdrop to the day's events. I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nerves fluttering in my stomach. None of my college friends knew I had been seeing someone—let alone that I had a boyfriend. I hadn't even hinted at it. In fact, they used to joke that they couldn't imagine me ever having a boyfriend.

As Matteo and I walked up to the group, I felt his hand squeeze mine gently, reassuring me. I glanced up at him, thankful that he was here with me, even though I knew I was about to throw him into a situation that would catch him completely off guard.

When we finally reached my friends, I could practically feel their eyes on us, wide with surprise. "Aria!" Sarah, one of my closest friends, called out. "Is this the 'friend' you were talking about?"

My heart pounded in my chest, but I kept my voice steady as I introduced him. "Everyone, this is Matteo," I said, offering a smile. "He's... well, he's my boyfriend."

For a second, it felt like the world had gone silent. I saw my friends' jaws drop, their eyes flickering between Matteo and me in utter shock. None of them had expected this—not from me. But what really caught me off guard was the look on Matteo's face. He seemed genuinely puzzled, as if he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing.

"Boyfriend?!" Sarah repeated, her tone laced with disbelief. "Aria, you never even told us you were seeing someone!"

Jenna, my roommate, looked shocked, her eyes wide with surprise. "Wait, it's official for real?" she blurted out, causing everyone else to whip their heads in my direction.

She grinned, completely unrepentant. "What? It's the perk of being roommates. I've been enjoying the free meals he sends almost every other day. Perks of living with you, I guess."

The rest of the group erupted into a mix of laughter and exclamations.

"Wait, you're serious?" Sasha asked, her voice rising in pitch. "How come none of us knew?"